James simmons



(Model.)

J. SIMMONS. Trunk Caster.

No. 234,496. Patented Nov..16, 1880.

N. PEYERS. FHOTO-LITHOGRAPMER, WASHINGTON D C FFQE@ JAMES SIMMONS, OF EAST LONG BRANCH, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO EDWARD F. HARTLEY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TRUNK-CASTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 234,496, dated November 16, 1880.

Application led September 8, 1880.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES SIMMONS, of East Long Branch, in the county of Monmouth and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and v useful Improvementin Trunk-Casters, ot'which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in trunk-casters, which will prevent the frequent breaking ofthe rollers.

A trunk provided with my improved easter can, while on the door of a room or hall, or on any level surface, be easily rolled about, the roller protruding from the bottom; but before the trunk is given into the care of any express, steamboat, or railroad company, where the rollers areliable to be broken oft' by rough handling, the roller can be concealed by simply pushing it into a cavity in the trunk and cleat provided for that purpose, leaving the 2o remaining part ofthe easter stronger and more capable of resisting rough handling.

Figure l is a vertical central section of my easter, showing the roller in its position projecting' from the trunk. Fig. 2 is a similar section, showing the roller in the cavity, and

Fig. 3 is a side view of the caster.

a is the bottom of a trunk, and b the cleat attached thereto. The caster A is attached to the cleat and end or side X ofthe trunk in 3o suitable manner. The body of the caster is an angular plate, m, ot' sheet :metal or other material. lt is fastened to the bottom of the cleat and end of trunk, as shown, a cavity, n, being formed between part of said plate and the 3 5 trunk, into which the roller d may be pushed. The lower wing of plate m has a rectangular hole, which is iilled by a plate, B, that is pivoted at one end, c, to the said plate m, the other end carrying the trunk-roller d, which 4o is hung between upwardlyprojecting lugs e.

The end of the plate B carrying the roller is bent upward, as at o, and then outward to form a lip,f, having a shoulder, j", on its upper face. This lip j'reaehes to the outer side of the vertical wing of plate m. This vertical win g alsoha-s a rectangular hole, which receives a plate, O, that is pivoted at its upper end at g to plate m, and has an aperture, so as to admit of ready insertion of the finger.

g are lugs projecting inward from plate m (Model.)

and carrying the pivot-pin g. D is a spring which is riveted to the upper part ot' the vertical wing of plate m and bears against a projection, h, on plate C, above its pivot g, tending thereby to throw plate C against the trunk.

It willobe readily understood that the spring D tends to press the lower (preferably thickened) part ot' plate C against the shoulder f on plate B and over the lip f, thereby holding said plate B firmly and securely on a level with 6o the bottom of the plate m, as in Fig. l, and leaving the roller d to protrude from the easter, so that the trunk can be easily moved about, all as clearly shown in Fig. l.

The plate C, bearing upon plate B, prevents the same from swinging upward, and the lip j', resting on part of the vertical wing ot' plate m, prevents the plate B from dropping downward.

Now, when the trunk is tilted or lifted a 7c little, and by the iin ger being inserted into the hole in the plate C, said plate G is pulled outward against the pressure of spring D, as indicated inv dotted lines in Fig. 2. 4The plate C is withdrawn from D, and the plate B, carrying roller d, can now be pushed up into the cavity n, provided above it for that purpose. The plate O is now allowed to resume its normal position, which will bring its lower enlargement, t, beneath the lip f of the raised plateB, 8o as in Fig. 2, and thus eit'ectually prevent plate B from dropping downward. ln this position the roller d does not project beyond the plate m, and cannot therefore be broken off by even the most energetic baggage-Smasher. When the trunk is again carried into a room or hall the roller can be easily made to serve its purpose by merely allowing the plate B to drop and become locked in the position shown in Fig. l.

My invention also removes another great objeetion in the casters now in use. It is well 

